Not Your Golden Children
by Persephone Deyzi and Dustin
Summary: Three girls. Three stories. One strange psychic constantly breaking the fourth wall. One girl trying to make her father proud. One girl who really has no idea what she's doing. Their lives collide when the letters arrive and they are sent to Hogwarts, a place where they can take their fate in their own hands. Will they destroy their stories or create something better?
1. Persephone

Persephone: Chapter 1; The Family Line

"She's beautiful"

"Just like her mother."

"And look at those eyes, so green! Oh, she was born with Slytherin blood, just like her father!"

A group of people were gathering around a small crib in the middle of a gigantic room. All of them had rushed into see the newest member of the Coaxoch family.

"Oh, she's just darling, a true Pureblood! What's her name?" A skinny woman was speaking to the man on the left side of the crib. She turned her face and looked up at him. The man must have been in some sort of a daze or something because he didn't seem to hear the women in the slightest.

"Travus." The man looked to his side to see a beautiful red haired lady standing to his right, she gently touched his arm.

"Darling," she said. "Aunt Holly asked you a question."

Her silk voice confused him for a minute, but he snapped back when he remembered the group of people.

"Ah, yes," he said straightening his back as though to regain his appearance as host. "Her name is Persephone. Persephone Ann Coaxoch."

He reached in and grabbed her out, as if to put her on display for the whole room. Everyone looked at her with admiration as they shook their heads in agreement. Yes, she was indeed a Persephone, a Persephone that everyone would one day come to know and fear, for she was the daughter, the first daughter, of the Coaxoch generation, a generation that would not soon be forgotten.

* * *

A few years passed and the little Persephone was now 6 years of age. Her 7th birthday was coming up, and she could not have been more thrilled. She had been looking forward to this day for weeks and just couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Please, Daddy!" Persephone squealed. "Please, please, _please_ "

The child was clinging to the armrest of her father's dining chair. He looked down at her and smiled.

"Not yet, pumkin." he replied with a chuckle

"But it's only one more day!"

"Exactly, which is why I'm surprised you waited so long to ask."

Persephone puffed up her cheeks like red balloons and turned her head away in embarrassment. Her dad had been planning a birthday surprise for her for over a month now and had not given her the slightest clue to what it was. She had tried her best for the family's sake to act as a proper Coaxoch should, but this was going to be her day, and she thought that, even if it was just every once and awhile, she could get away with acting her age.

Her dad got up from his chair and kissed her head.

"Now, Persephone. I don't want you trying anything funny while I'm gone, you understand?" Persephone nodded her head as to say she understood. "Good," her father said as he turned towards the door. "And," he added. "I definitely don't want you looking in any of the West Wing ballrooms, either," He said as he gave her a slight wink. "You understand?"

Persephone nodded her head, trying not to seem to eager, but she knew exactly what her father was saying.

She ran over and squeezed his leg as she waited for him to go down the staircase and out the front gate, then, without hesitation she was off and running down the hall as fast as she could. Through the dining room, up the staircase and landing straight in front of the party room. She was less than 2 feet away from the door.

 _Should I open it?_ she thought.

One foot away.

 _Daddy seemed like he wanted me to._

10 inches, 9…

 _Maybe I misunderstood, but how often do Daddy and I not understand each other?_

5 inches.

4 inches.

3 inches _._

 _I'm sure he lead me here. Why else would he be so specific? I have to know! I just have to. What could happen?_

2...1…

Persephone couldn't hold it in anymore. She had to know what was waiting behind that door. She pushed as hard as she could with her little round hands on the golden door knob and heard a great c _lick_. She was in! Her excitement was at the brim. Feeling at any moment she would find herself buried in her own happiness she sprang the door open and jumped inside. But before she was even able to take it all in, she had been pushed over by a great heap of wind. Her head hit hard against the floor and she was knocked unconscious.

* * *

When Persephone came to, she heard her mother sobbing at the side of her bed, with her father, who must have already come home from work, right beside her. She must have been knocked out a long time because she could not remember getting into her bed or that it had been dark outside. The last time she checked the clock, it had been a quarter to eight in the morning, where now, it seemed to be half past 6 at night. She reached forward and touched her mother's hand, noticing the tears in her eyes.

"Hi…Mummy." Persephone whispered.

She tried to speak normally, but the wind must have still been trying to find its way back to her lungs after being so forcefully knocked out of her.

Her mother saw her hand and looked up to see her daughter staring back at her.

"Dear!" she cried to her husband. "Dear, she's awake, she's awake!"

Her father suddenly looked up from his path and took a great sigh of relief.

"Oh, my girl!" he said wrapping his arms around her head. "My beautiful little girl! You had us worried sick."

She grabbed her father's shirt sleeve as if to tell him that she was alright. He leaned back and grabbed both of her shoulders gently.

"What where you thinking? Why would you ever do something so dangerous that it would make you hit your head like that? You know you need to be at your best health for tomorrow!"

Persephone was now confused.

 _Was I not supposed to go into the room? I thought that was the surprise. I must have misunderstood._

Her eyes started to tear up, but not so much that either of her parents would notice. She didn't want to make them more worried more than they already were.

"I'm sorry." Persephone said as she looked down at her blanket. "I must have just misunderstood what you told me. I will listen better next time."

Both of the parents looked at each other in surprise.

"Pumpkin? What do you mean?" her father was quite confused.

"Yes," said her mother. "What did we say?"

"Well, when Daddy told me earlier not to go up into the West Wing ballroom, I didn't listen. I thought he meant it as a joke or something, so I went to see what was inside. But when I opened the door, I got knocked back and I…"

"What?" her father said in disbelief.

Her mother had a look of worry on her face. "Dear, I don't think it means anythi - "

"You heard the girl, didn't you? _She was knocked back_!" His voice was starting to rise from a quiet concern to a raging anger.

Persephone's mother started to get up from the side of the bed, hoping to calm him down. "Dear, please - "

"How? _How_ did this happen? There shouldn't have happened!, after all! She isn't…"

His face went from outraged to completely murderous. His eyes looked empty and his voice became stern and cold like autumn before a winter freeze.

"The hall..."

They both went out into the hallway. Persephone could see their shadows on the walls, bouncing up and down as hands were used to emphasize the words she couldn't understand. The argument went on for quite some time before they both came back into the room. Her mother's eyes were bright red from the tears she had been shedding and her father was trying his best to stay calm, looked at his daughter with a cold glare. He had never looked at her like this before, never in his life. Yes, he had been angry with her, but this, this was different. This was pure hatred, a look of disappointment and disgust.

Finally, he spoke.

"The surprise is off."

Persephone's jaw dropped.

"Dad!" she shrieked as she tried to get onto her feet. Her legs were still too weak to hold her up, so her body smacked back onto the ground. She called out to him again. "Dad!"

He had already turned his back and left the room, leaving his wife and daughter in tears. Persephone didn't know what to do. She had nothing to do, so she just laid back down on the ground and curled herself in a ball, hoping it would all just be a bad dream, and that she would wake up with her father holding her, saying it would never happen to her again. Sadly, it wasn't a dream, or a figment of her imagination. She just laid there and laid there, as she listened to her mother say over and over again in a hushed voice:

"I'm so…so sorry."

* * *

 _BANG! BANG! BANG!_

A big knock came from upstairs.

"Persephone!" a voice yelled. "Wake up! Its time for breakfast."

Persephone moaned and reluctantly got out of bed to get ready for the day. It'd been four years since the night before her birthday, and whether she wanted it or not, things at home had changed. Persephone's room used to be right across the hall from her parents but when her little brother was born three years ago they turned her room into his nursery. There were plenty of other unused rooms in the castle, but her father had moved her into the lowest part of the house right below the dining room floor, into an almost apartment-like complex. When she first moved in, it had been full of old books and dirty cauldrons, but she and her mother had worked with the staff to turn it into a little home below a home. It had a wooden floor, a bathroom, dark green painted walls, and a huge bed that she could lay on and read all the old books she wanted. It was her favorite place in the world, because whenever it came time to go upstairs, she was forced to deal outside of her books, outside her little kingdom underground.

She turned to look into her walk in closet and picked up her wand.

" _Toufi Echanga_."

Within seconds her clothes were spinning around her. Vibrant colors of silvers and greens mix matching with every color of the rainbow, as if trying to find their way to the girl first.

" _Cease_."

She spoke with another flick of her wand. Suddenly the clothes that had been spinning around her flew back up onto their hangers and into their drawers, as she stood dead center of the room, looking more fabulous than the queen of Egypt. Her silk green nightgown had been replaced by a ruffly, purple buttoned down laced top and a black skirt reaching from her hips to her knees. Her hair had gone from a rats nest to a beautiful fishtail braid that cascaded down her back as her once bare wrists had been covered with white aristocratic gloves.

Yes, she knew she wasn't allowed to use magic at her age, but ever since she moved to the basement, there was no way for anyone to find out. That was another thing she loved about the basement: no supervision. At first, it had scared her, being in a place all alone. But now, it was the only place she could go without everyone's eyes constantly watching her. This had also been the place where she found her wand, underneath a pill of old books in a small chest laid this beautiful little wand take it, it doesn't always do what she wants but after practicing for a good 3 years she can manage to do simple things, in her little hole in the ground. It was her dome of security, and she would rather be down there all day than anywhere else in the world. Sadly it never lasted long.

' _Bang Bang Bang_!'

" _Persephone_! _Get up her this instant_!"

A loud man was yelling upstairs.

Persephone froze. It was her dad.

Quickly, without a second thought, she threw her wand onto the bed behind her and ran upstairs, trying to waste as little time as possible. She had to stop doing this; she had to stop making her dad so angry all the time, but she just didn't know how.

When she got upstairs she saw her family sitting around the breakfast table.

"Its 7 AM," her father said coldly.

"Yes, Father." She hung her head.

"Breakfast starts at 6:45, every morning."

"Yes, Father..."

"And where were you at 6:45 this morning?"

Her father waited for her to respond

Persephone kept her gaze at the floor as she whispered something trying her best not to sound shaky, but it was so quiet that it only made her father more frustrated.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" He said in a demanding straight tone.

Persephone slowly lifted her head, keeping her face as emotionless as possible.

"Now," Travus continued. "Where were you at 6:45 this morning?" he said, looking at her as if she had just come back from robbing a thrift shop.

"I was in bed," she answered.

"That's right," Travus said as he stood. "You were off in little dream land while your brother was crying his eyes out wanting to start the day." His tone was firm, direct, like an arrow hitting its target or a cannon striking a ship. "Next time, be more considerate when you do something that affects the ones around you."

He looked over at his wife, who had been staring at him with an utmost rage, but after a few moments of silence she turned her head and looked down at the table, not saying a word.

Travus looked back at Persephone

"Well?" he finally asked. "Are you going to keep us waiting or are you just going to eat on the floor with the rats?"

Persephone walked over to her seat at the table and lowered her head to say a prayer for the meal. She made sure not to do it out loud anymore, because last time she did she was scolded for it.

Things had been like this ever since that night in her room, She had no idea what she did or didn't do to make her dad resent her so much but whatever it was, all she knew is that it had something to do with that room. That room that knocked her out whenever she would try to go inside. She tried many times after that to go in, but every time she did, it would just push her back like the night she first tried to go in.

That day after breakfast, Travus left for work and Persephone's mother, June, took her little brother, Salem, to play outside.

Once everyone had left Persephone went right downstairs to grab her wand and opened up the red book laying on her bed. She flipped through the pages until finally she found what she was looking for.

"Got it!" she yelled.

She threw her hand over her mouth and listened intently.

Silence.

After reassuring herself that no one was there she took out the old small chest that had held her wand and locked it up tight.

She took a step back and inhaled. "Ok."

She lifted her hands and stared intently at the box.

" _Alohomora_."

She waved her wand and waited for something to happen.

Nothing did.

She let breath in heavy and try again.

"Al-Oho-mo-RA."

There was a great snap and bang as the chest lock snapped into.

Persephone's excitement over flowed through her.

" _Woo_!" she yelled. "I did it I did it _I did it_!"

Persephone was doing a dance around her room when she heard a knock coming from upstarts.

" _Blimey_ girl, what you doing down there!" yelled the voice.

She ran up the stairs and lifted the lid into the kitchen to see who it was, leaving her wand behind her.

Persephone was relieved to see that it was just Gregory, the head busboy in the kitchen.

Gregory was about seventeen and was always getting into Persephone's business. On a normal day she would have just told him she was right about the author of her favorite book or her friends at school told her about this awesome song this awesome song that she was listening too on her self-playing mini-music set. but Gregory already knew about the wand, since he was one of the people she was willing to show so she grabbed onto his sleeve and begged him to come down stair.

"You sure seem excited about som'thing - alright alright - Guys I'll be right back, _Jim_ , be more careful with that pan!"

After about two more minutes of him yelling instructions to his team, Persephone lead him to the chest she had just managed to unlock.

"Blimey lass! Did you do that all on your own?!"

"I sure did!" Persephone gleamed. "First time I've ever been able to unlock with a spell."

Gregory patted her on the shoulder, "Nice job, tike! I'd say you win your pop's respect right and quick with that kind of hard work."

Persephone's smile diminished. She sat down on her bed and looked up at Gregory. Persephone had so much she wanted to ask, so many questions about why her father treated her like she was the thorn that made his heart feel nothing but pain and hurt from her but she didn't know how, she just dropped her head back down and shifted her feet back and forth, back and forth, back and forth in a pendulum motion.

Gregory seeing Persephone in such disasters sat down next to the girl and pulled a small envelope out of his pocket.

"Here, lassie" He said as he handed it to her. "I was going to give it to your fath..." He stopped himself thinking it wise to not mention her dad again. "Well go on open it."

Persephone took the letter with both her hands and stared down and the purple wax seal holding the letter shut. She turned it around as she read, ' _To Persephone, London, England; Montague Road, Downstairs Bedroom. From Hogwarts._ '

Persephone's eyes shot wide as she stared down at the beautiful letter in her hands. She let her thoughts slip through her mouth into a gentle whisper. "Maybe I can do something right."


	2. Deyzi

Deyzi: Chapter 1 - Only the Meek Survive

She pulled the sleeves of her tattered grey hoodie over her small hands, rubbing her arms to try and get some warmth into them. Her pink scuffed sneakers dragged her across the sidewalk of the crowded town, her eyes searching for anything she could take. A blanket or a box, something to keep the night chill away.

It sounded like she was in a fix, but in reality, she knew it was better than what she had left behind. Her parents had just died, leaving her to fall into the custody of her bumbling second cousin. It hadn't been because of Marcie Seint, in fact, Deyzi knew that she would deeply miss her kind, sweet second cousin. It was the asylum she worked at.

Because she lived alone, Marcie took her cousin with her to the asylum and let her wait in the lobby until her shift was over. The experience was one unpleasant; she could hear screaming and insane laughter behind the lobby walls, and those that came into the building always gave her stares that made her skin crawl unbearably. The last straw had been when a patient escaped and made it to the front of the asylum, and had grabbed her up and screamed into her face, then threatened to scar her "pretty lil 'ace" should he ever see her again. Ignoring this warning to her cousin's safety, Marcie continued to bring her, claiming that she was safe. Deyzi, even at six, decided that she didn't want to test fate, and so, when the oblivious receptionist wasn't looking, she snuck away.

Now, there were specks of doubt in her head. She had nowhere to go, no shelter or money. She touched the necklace around her neck, a cool gray stone hanging from a silver chain. Her parents had always told her that she should never take it off. She never did, even when they died, out of respect, and honestly it made her feel closer to them.

Her stomach growled angrily. Of course, she forgot she had no food.

She stopped and sighed, tugging at the left braid hanging from her head. She had her father's pale blonde hair and her mother's deep chestnut eyes. Her father used to tug fondly at her braids, telling her mother that she should cut them off when she was older, it would fit her face better. Her mother always protest, but then smile at her, as if agreeing with him. Their smiles were still burned in her brain, filling with her with warmth and emptiness. She couldn't believe that it had been two months already.

Her thoughts were jarred when she smelled sweet cinnamon. Her eyes darted around until she saw the bakery, her mouth watering at the sight of delicious goodies in the window. Without a second thought she took off, passing through the crowd with ease due to her small stature. She reached the store in moments and went in, her eyes wide with ecstasy when she saw all the shelves of baked marvels. Her cousin had only had enough money to buy tasteless cereals and bland tv dinners, so the thought of a simple bagel was enough to make little Deyzi's heart skip a beat.

"Can I help you?"

She looked up at the counter and saw a plump dame grinning at her. She had a cloud of white hair that sat on her round head like a cat, and big glasses that made her deep blue eyes gigantic. Her floral dress draped her ungracefully, resembling a tent more than a clothing. Deyzi pushed this aside and beamed at her. Her smile was kind, and surely she was.

"I'm hungry," she told her, folding her hands in front of her and tilting her head.

"Oh, you are, deary? Well, I've got plenty of things to eat right here. What would you like?"

"Something small please. Like a scone."

"Okay, hunny. That will be one pound please."

Deyzi's face fell and she grabbed her necklace.

"I...I don't have any money, ma'am. I'm an orphan."

The woman's smile flickered, but held.

"Winston!" she called.

A door opened behind Deyzi and she turned to come face to face with a tall, brawny man with a small head and big hands. His eyes were beady and his mouth was thin; both were scowling down at her.

"Winston, honey, do we give things away for free here?" the woman asked as Deyzi shook.

"No, ma'am," the man growled, leaning down towards Deyzi.

"Well, there you have it, dear. I suggest you leave now."

"But - " Deyzi started feebly tugging her Cain until the metal stung.

"Are ya talkin' _back_ , runt?" Winston snarled.

"N-No…"

"Then get out."

Deyzi whimpered and backed away from the giant, her hands gripping her skirt tightly. The woman's smile was still on her plump face, bigger than ever, as she watched the small girl stumble to the door. Deyzi felt tears grabbing the edge of her eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks.

She stopped when she saw the display of scones and biscuits.

She could feel the eyes of the adults on her, knew they were waiting for her to leave them. Something stung her chest, something defiant; she straightened and the tears left as her mind went cold.

"Well?" the woman asked, her soft voice strained. "Aren't you goin - "

Her fingers were wrapping around a biscuit before she even gave the command. Winston shouted and lumbered after her as she deftly slipped out the entrance, her ears plugging the sound of his orders to stop. Once she was in the streets people were moving out of her way, staring at her as she ran towards the alley across from the bakery. She could practically feel Winston's steps behind her, and allowed herself one look back to see how close he was. Her heart jumped when she saw that he was only two feet away, a cord of spit running down his angry face. She turned and saw the obstacle in the middle of the alley.

A tall, rickety fence barricaded her escape.

She couldn't stop, and she couldn't turn, so she had to keep moving forward, but she knew that when she hit that fence she was going to be trapped. There was no way to climb up fast enough to evade Winston, as the chains reached all the way to the top of the alley. But she had to keep going forward, she had to get away. Maybe if her determination was big enough, she could gain some ground on the big beast.

 _Just a little faster,_ she thought, trying to focus on the other side of the fence, trying to ignore the stinging in her little lungs and the shouts of her pursuer. _Just a little more_ …

Winston reached out his hand for her, trying to grab one of her braids. He could barely process the fact that her body was shifting, as if being pulled like rubber. His fingers brushed her flinging braid and tried to close around it, but it sifted through his hand like water. Soon she was no more than a blur of colors, strings of fabric, blasting their way through the chains of the gate with a loud _pop!_ He stopped in time to avoid crashing into it, and watched as the fabric swirled back together to form the little girl, gasping for air and shaking uncontrollably.

"Bloody 'ell was that?" Winston whimpered as she keeled over and vomited whatever was in her stomach onto the concrete.

Deyzi coughed and wiped her mouth on her sleeve, eyeing Winston cautiously. They both looked down at the biscuit she held, and as she took off Winston started shaking the chains of the gate.

"Don't come back 'ere ya brat, ya 'ere me!" he cried feebly, trying to sound intense as his knees quivered. "I see ya again I'll snap yer neck!"

Deyzi raced around the corner before she let her knees sink from underneath her. She clutched the biscuit to her chest and gasped for air, touching her face and hair to see if she was still solid. The feeling she had when she...flew, was that of being jerked through the air and forced through a small space, with everything crushing her, shoving her eyes and eardrums and throat back into her body.

 _What was that_? she asked herself as tears poured down her face and she threw up again. _What happened to me_? _What did I just do_?

"Oi!"

Deyzi gasped and threw her head up, staring at the boy in front of her. He could have been her age, with black hair down to his shoulders and hollow green eyes. His skin was pale and an X scar ran up his jaw to the center of his cheek. He was as tall as her, thin, with long arms and legs. He tilted his head to look at her.

"You just do that?" he drawled, smirking at her shivering. "Goin' through the fence. You do that?"

Deyzi stared at him, unsure if she should say so.

"S'okay, you can say. I ain't gonna hurt ya or nofin."

She slowly nodded.

"Neato. Can ya do it again?"

"I don't know…" Deyzi squeaked.

"Ah, that's okay, I guess, long as ya could. Name's Rune. Rune Wethersfield."

His smirk widened to a grin.

"I can do magic too ya know."

"Magic?" Deyzi asked, finding enough strength to stand. "That's what that was?"

"Yep yep. Here, I'll show ya mine."

Deyzi perked as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Her gaze shot down to the biscuit when it started to shake, then threw itself out of her grasp and into Rune's hand.

"That's mine!" Deyzi shouted, rushing him. Rune held the biscuit out of her reach, unphased by her outburst. "Give it back!"

"Ya won't need it," he assured her.

With a flick of his wrist and a blink of his eyes, the biscuit crushed itself against the wall, ripping into little shreds. Deyzi gave a cry of alarm and started to go after it, but Rune grabbed her arm and held her still.

"Why did you do that?" Deyzi cried, fixing him with a glare.

"Because it was dirty and wouldn't taste good anyhow," Rune told her, amused at her simplistic anger. "'Sides, I know how we can get a lot betta stuff."

Deyzi's anger vanished and she could only gape at him. Rune released her arm and put his hands in his ruddy jacket pockets.

"Ya gonna help me?" he asked. "Or ya just gonna stare?"

He started to walk away, then looked back and quirked an eyebrow at her. Deyzi hesitated, then followed him, her spine tingling nervously.

He made no objection when she grabbed hold of his hand.

* * *

"Hello? Can I help you?"

The nine year old smiled at him. His hair had grown out to reach the small of his back and his green eyes had become more catlike. He was still rather small and lanky, but was much more tanned than he had been at six, causing the white scar on his cheek to stand out. He wore a much cleaner and longer black coat with a silver scarf wrapped around his neck, black pants that bunched around his ankles and clean brown shoes. His hat was sliding to the back of his head, and he tugged it back over his bangs before he spoke.

"Can you tell me how much this is?" he asked sweetly, holding up a shirt.

The man behind the counter smirked and took the article from him.

"This is fifteen pounds, my boy," he said, watching the smile on the boy's face slip.

"Fifteen?" he repeated. "But that's so much."

"Not in my store it isn't. Now, if you're not going to pay, I suggest you leave, little tike."

The boy's eyes flickered and he scowled at him.

The man just shrugged his thin shoulders and watched him stomp away. He'd seen the disapproving looks of children many time in his career as a thrift store owner, so the young boy's rage made no difference to him. He simply went back to his book without another thought.

The bells above the door chimed and he looked over to see a rather short girl with long pigtails and a pretty purple dress walk in. Her black shoes clicked cheerfully as she waved her little hand at the owner, flashing her gold bracelet with a daisy charm. She too was tanned from years of being outside, and her beaming smile could melt a glacier.

"Can I help you?" the owner asked as she skipped to the counter.

"I'm looking for a new dress, sir," the girl said, batting her big chestnut eyes at him. "Do you have any?"

"Right over there, sweetie, in the corner."

"Thank you!"

She skipped away and he shook his head at the big bow wrapped around her tiny waist. How a girl in that side of town could be so sparkly was beyond him for certain.

"Yer overdoin' the peppiness, Deyz," the black haired boy said through the corner of his mouth when the little girl stopped beside him.

"I'm not faking it, Rune," Deyzi giggled. "I'm really happy."

"I know, but ya could turn it down around targets," Rune told her, peeking over at the man. "Otherwise you become noticeable."

"Don't be so happy, got it!"

Rune glanced down and smirked as she stood straighter and saluted him, a serious look on her face.

"Don't strain yerself," he snickered, patting her on the head.

Deyzi grinned.

"Now, get what ya want, and be quick."

"Aren't you going to grab more?" Deyzi asked, seeing that he'd only grabbed a hat and some hair ties.

"Nah, I'm alright. Get a dress and let's go."

Deyzi nodded and thumbed through the girls' clothing. She gasped and pulled down a frilly yellow gown that came with an attached sunhat.

"Ru-Ru!" she giggled, holding it in front of her and twirling. "Isn't it beautiful!"

"Stop callin' me that!" Rune growled as he shot a nervous gaze at the owner. "And quit bein' so loud, yer gonna..."

He stopped when he finally took her in. She was pouting at him, but he could only see the dress and how pretty she looked in yellow.

"Ru-Ru?" Deyzi asked, tilting her head.

Rune quickly snapped out of his trance and looked away, tugging at his hair.

"I-Is that all ye're gettin'?" he asked bullishly. "'Cause if it is, we need to Bolt."

"Okay!"

She grabbed hold of his hand and his heart fluttered, and he almost fell onto his face when she dragged him with her to the exit.

"Bye Mister Owner!" Deyzi cheered as they raced for the exit.

"Now _hold on -_ " the old man started.

He gaped as the two children were stretched and quickly disappeared from sight, then reappeared on the other side of the door, gasping for air but giggling uncontrollably.

"H-Hey!" he managed to cry, stumbling to the door.

The children took off down the sidewalk, clutching their new clothes to their chests as they ducked into an alley.

"I wanna Bolt again, Ru-Ru!" Deyzi laughed as she skipped ahead, letting her new dress fly behind her.

"Nuh-uh, you know what happened the last time," Rune reminded her.

Deyzi shivered and nodded. The top of Rune's left ear was missing from a little mishap with her Bolting. They'd been trying to escape from a furniture store, but a large dog had gotten in Deyzi's way and distracted her enough to lose some of her focus. Since then they'd been careful to limit her Bolting to once a day and always made sure the store they visited didn't have any sort of guards or obstacles.

"What now, Ru-Ru?" Deyzi asked.

"We go to the orphanage and tease those brats again," Rune said, a wicked grin on his face. "Make 'em believe their toys floatin' in the air is because of a ghost."

"~ _Ru-Ru's a mean boy, a mean boy a mean boy! Ru-Ru's a mean boy, and can't be stopped at all!_ ~" Deyzi sang, her voice high and off tune.

"Stop _callin'_ me that, Deyzi!" Rune cried as he chased after her.

Deyzi tittered uncontrollably and let him come within a foot of her, before racing out of his reach. She continued to sing her silly song until even Rune was laughing.

"Hey look!"

The two turned to see the orphans they'd spoken of staring at them. Rune checked behind them to see that they weren't followed, then grinned at the younger children.

"Hiya, Ricky!" he greeted the smallest one. "What're ya guys doin'?"

"Playing," Ricky murmured, clutching his red rubber ball closer to his chest. "What're you doin' here?"

"We're just passin' through. What're ya playin'?"

"Just catch," Mary said, twirling one of her pigtails. She wouldn't admit it, since she was ten, but Rune made her heart skip a beat. "Do ya wanna play?"

"Sure!" Deyzi cried, starting to run to them.

" _Actually_!" Rune growled, grabbing Deyzi's collar and pulling her back. "We just came to see how yer ghost was doin'. He still givin' ya trouble?"

"Oh, that," Derek scoffed. "It's gone, I think. Not like it was scary anyway."

"It wasn't?" Rune asked, his eye gleaming. "Not even a little?"

"Well, it wasn't when _you_ were around," Mary giggled.

"But it only comes when Rune's around," Deyzi pointed out, furrowing her brow as she stared at the girl. "Why's your face all red?"

Mary glared at her and stuck her tongue out. Rune pinched Deyzi's shoulder and forced a grin on his face.

"But really Derek? You don't think he's scary?"

Derek shrugged.

"Well, alright. Let's go then Deyzi."

Deyzi gave him a surprised look, but with a quick glare from Rune, she smiled and followed behind him. He heard the children talking behind him as they rounded the corner, then they started playing again. Rune stopped and turned around, going to the wall and peeking past it.

"I thought we were leaving," Deyzi whispered.

"Shh!" Rune hissed. "I lied."

"Oh...why?"

"Because if I didn't, they would have thought the ghost was me."

"Why would they think that?"

Rune shot her a tired look.

"Because ya basically _insinuated_ it was me."

Deyzi gave him a blank look, then stuck her lower lip out.

"Sorry…"

"Don't worry 'bout it," Rune said, ruffling her hair. Deyzi smiled instantly. "Just means we gotta be creative."

He watched Derek kick the ball to Rick and heard the little boy complain how they were playing catch and not football, and that Derek was cheating. Rune grinned, waiting for Rick to throw the ball to Mary, and snapped his fingers.

The ball stopped midair, only inches from Mary's expectant fingers. She gasped and shrieked, stumbling away until she fell back onto the sidewalk. Rune moved his index finger towards Rick and watched the ball follow him around, until it was over his shivering head. He bounced the ball off him a couple of times, then made it shoot through his legs, knocking him over. Derek was his next victim, and already the boy looked scared. He backed away from the ball as it hovered to him, swaying like a pendulum, then shot towards him when he started to run away. It bounced off his bum and knocked him over, then bounced along his back, then onto his head, causing his face to go into a puddle. He shrieked and tried to get away, only to have the ball bounce in front of his face and splash him again. Derek scooted away, scraping up his pants, then raced away; Rune followed him with the ball until he slammed the door in its way, and even then he bounced it off the entrance at least six times, enjoying the sound of the boy crying from the other side.

"Ru-Ru!" Deyzi gasped. "Stop! You're nose!"

Rune touched his upper lip and felt the warm, metallic liquid on his tongue, so he let his hold on the ball go. It fell and bounced on the concrete, stopping in front of Mary and Rick, who were holding each other and shivering. He leaned against the wall and snickered, wiping his face as Deyzi clung to his arm.

"That was fun," he said.

"You have to be more careful," Deyzi scolded.

"Yeah, I know, sorry."

Deyzi smiled at him, tightening her grip on his arm before grabbing her dress and his hat.

"Let's go home, Ru-Ru," she sang. "I'm bored."

She grabbed his sleeve and tugged him along, oblivious to the huge grin on his face at her touch.

* * *

"I'm cold."

Rune pulled his coat off and threw it around Deyzi's shoulders, ignoring the biting chill through his long sleeved turtleneck. A year and a half had passed and he was now almost eleven, same as Deyzi; they'd found out that their birthdays were only a day apart long ago, and often spent the day between celebrating both. Now it was the night before Deyzi's, and he made a note to give her a coat that was thicker than the ratty one she wore now.

"What are we gonna do tomorrow?" Deyzi asked, watching him rotate the nuts and bolts hovering over his palm.

"Stay low, keep to ourselves," Rune answered as she moved to sit on top of the box he was propped against. "We need to be more discreet, especially after that last attempt."

Deyzi nodded, braiding his ever growing tresses before pulling them apart to put them in a ponytail. Rune's eyes fell closed and the nuts and bolts rested in his palm.

"Are we gonna steal for forever?" Deyzi asked.

"I don't know, Deyz. Maybe we won't have to when we're old enough. We'll just live in a house that we bought, with clothes that we bought, and get food with money we earned."

Deyzi smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"That sounds nice, big brother," she said.

Rune smiled, even if it was a bit forced. Deyzi sat back and started to braid his hair again. It was strange how happy she was, being homeless and fighting for her right to live everyday. She probably should have been more worried, more frightened. But for some reason, for the last five years, she'd never been happier.

"Even if we have to keep stealing, we'll do it together, right?" Deyzi asked, brushing his hair straight with her fingers and letting it lie on his back.

"'Course. Get some sleep."

She yawned and got off the box. Rune let the metal bits fall into his palm and scooted over as she lifted the lid and crawled in. There was a makeshift bed for her inside, with a fluffy pillow and comforter they'd gotten from a thrift store. Before she shut the lid she threw Rune's coat back over his shoulders, then pulled out another blanket and set it over him. She gently pulled it until it rested over his head like a hood, then gave him a soft pat.

"G'Night."

"Night," Rune sighed.

She shut the lid and curled under the blanket, falling into a deep sleep almost instantly.

* * *

 _Whooo...Whooo..._

Deyzi furrowed her brow and opened her eyes. It was dark inside the crate, and she felt around for the thing that could be making that noise. When she didn't find it she reached up and opened the lid a crack.

Two deep yellow eyes started back at her.

" _Whoooo_!"

"Eek!" Deyzi cried, slamming the lid shut.

There was a flutter of wings and another cooing sound, then all was silent.

"...Deyzi?" Rune called from outside.

"R-Rune?" she called. "W-What was that?"

"Apparently...an owl."

"An owl? Did I sleep until nighttime again?"

"Just get out here."

Deyzi cautiously opened the lid and peeked out. She caught sight of Rune's pant legs, then lifted the top all the way until she could see the bird on top of his head.

 _Huh_? she thought.

The bird, owl to be exact, was large and black, with a yellow beak and eyes that shone like low spotlights. It ruffled its feathers and tilted its head at her.

"Ru-Ru, there's a _bird_ on your head!"

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Rune snipped, examining a parchment in his hands.

"What's that?"

"A letter. We both got one."

He flicked out another one and she caught it, examining the wax seal with a large H and a snake, a lion, an eagle, and a badger behind it. She carefully peeled the flap open and retrieved the letter inside.

" _Dear Ms. Abnivor,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry..._ "

Her eyes widened exponentially. Witchcraft? Wizardry?

" _Students will be required to report to the Chamber of Reception upon arrival, the dates of which shall be duly advised_ ," Rune continued. " _Please ensure that the utmost attention be made to the list of requirements attached herewith._ "

" _We very much look forward to your acceptance to the newest generation of Hogwarts heritage_ ," Deyzi finished.

She stared at the letter for a long moment, then looked up at Rune.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Looks like a joke," Rune said. He glanced up at the owl perched on his head. "Although it must be real, unless there's a prankster runnin' around who also trains owls."

"Can we keep him?" Deyzi asked, stepping out of the crate.

The bird suddenly spread its wings and flew off, leaving Rune's hair in a matted mess of tangles and feathers.

"Aww!" Deyzi whined as he shook his hair.

"Ehh, don't worry about it," he said, pulling the plumes from his head. "So, what do ya think _this_ means?"

"I don't know," she said, looking back at the letter. "Do we do what it says?"

"What do you mean? It's not like it has any addresses or anythin'."

"Then what're we gonna do?"

"Let it go, I guess. Not like we can do much else."

He folded up the letter and stuck it in his pocket, then set a hand on Deyzi's head.

"Happy birthday," he said.

She grinned up at him.

"Thank you!"

"What do you want to do for it?"

She thought about it, then giggled.

"Let's go scare the orphans again!"

Rune grinned as she grabbed his hand and pulled him into a run. She crumpled the letter in her fist, then stuck it in her dress pocket. Whatever this turned out to be, they would figure out later. She just hoped it wouldn't be bad.


	3. Dustin

Dustin: Chapter 1 - Family Ties, and the Knots that Cause Them

Dustin Elle Cladis stood with her arms crossed in the middle of the front doorway. Her face rested with it's usual indifference as she watched her parents head down the driveway and onto the cement sidewalk. A sigh escaped Dustin's previously relaxed red lips as she stared holes into the backs of their heads; not an intentional gesture, just a nervous tick she didn't like to admit to.

"Mum and Dad are going out again, huh?" A familiar voice sounded from behind an unsuspecting Dustin, but two presences could be felt as four, _almost_ ninja feet crept up behind her, instead of the regular two.

"Wonder what's on their minds this time 'round..." Finished an almost identical male voice from the second being. If Dustin was capable of turning around at that moment, she would have, but seeing as her two twin brothers of 12 were using her as an armrest, she wasn't really given an option.

Another sigh.

"Why do you two even care?" Dustin inquired her American accent giving a certain carelessness to her voice that had made a home there recently. "It's not like they're talking about you..." Before Dustin was born, Her family had moved to America for a little family business trip. They planned on staying for a few years, maybe even more than just a few if things couldn't be helped. So when Dustin came about-she was not expected as the other children had been before her-her parents had decided that maybe a different upbringing for her was the way to go, and stayed in America. Max was sent back to England in order to start his schooling at Hogwarts, and was arranged to stay with Aunt Lorena over the summer. Two and a half years after Dustin's arrival into the world, Lando Cladis came along. Around that same time, Dustin started showing signs of possessing magic. After the twins had gotten their acceptance letters, Dustin's parents decided it was time to move back, now that Olivia, and the twins were attending Hogwarts. Nine and a half years in America resulted in Dustin's American accent.

"And how would you know, Ms. Smarty Pants?" The twin with his left elbow digging into Dustin's shoulder turned his head to look down at her.

"What makes you so sure of that?" The twin on the right followed suit and the two smirked in unison as if a previously mentioned point had been made, or a silent bet had been won.

"They've been talking a lot longer than normal about this one..." Dustin ran her pale and slender fingers through her dark brown bangs, going into an observation mode that the twins, Lysander and Kyle, absolutely adored. They adored this ability of Dustin's, to analyse and process acute details quicker than most, simply because they moved too quickly on a regular basis to pay any attention at all to anything. Listening to her rattle off the little things and coming to solid and sensible conclusions was like catching up on the biggest Daily Prophet scoop ever. Anticipated and exhilarating. In the least bit, it was entertaining when there was nothing else to fill the void.

For a moment, there was a mutual silence. Whether it was being shared between all three sentient beings that occupied the doorway, or just the two nearly identical ones was never determined as Dustin continued.

"Nothing interesting happens around here...especially to us. Fact in case. Hogwarts would be the only plausible thing for them to talk about, even though my eleventh birthday isn't for another year." She pressed her middle fingers lightly to her temples and began to rub in counter clockwise circular motions, thinking deeply. "I'm the closest to entering. There's almost no plausible way it's _not_ about me, and/or my attendance at Hogwarts..."

Now this is what troubled the older brunette and redheaded siblings. Dustin was a brilliant mind; there was no denying it. Clever, quick, and sometimes even described as cunning, but her imagination and "on-the-spot" creativity would often get in the way of the plausibility behind her conclusions and caused her to further her thought process, although the situation hardly ever called for it. Kyle, the redhead of the two, turned to his brother, giving him a quick nod of affirmation. He and his brother then complied with each other's actions and movements to turn their younger sister from the still open door, and keep their arms rested in place, all at the same time.

Lysander kicked the door closed behind the three, not even caring to look back, as they never did when they were focused or determined to do something. "Don't think too much of it Dust..." He trailed off, hoping for his brother to pick up the slack as he always had.

"Mum and dad had the same conversation about Lysander and I."

"And Liv and Max." Lysander put in.

"And they will have this talk when it's Lando's turn to join the three of us at Hogwarts..."

The two seemed to have thought that their antics were working, but thought wrong.

"No...Mom and Dad never had a talk about anything when time came for you to join Olivia..." She broke out from underneath the two, causing them to fall inward on each other before regaining their balance. They stared at her, waiting to hear what would next come out of her mouth. "They're scared about the results of my Sorting Ceremony..." A slight twitch quirked at the corner of Dustin's lips as she pushed her glasses back up onto the bridge of her nose.

"And what makes you say that?" The two asked in a synchronised fashion, both raising an eyebrow. They weren't honestly sure whether they were asking out of pure curiosity, or just because they wanted to hear Dustin's theory and proof.

"Everyone's scared of the fifth child. They're scared first off because of their presence in the first place. The fifth child shouldn't be there, but they are. The fifth child is usually the mistake...the screw up...the odd man out." The twins looked at each other in a slightly dazed confusion. Was this really the Dustin they grew up with? She still had that deductive reasoning about her, but something made the twins a bit more on edge about this time around, and they couldn't discern their feelings about it. Something scared them about how unfazed Dustin looked about what she was saying, but instead of trying to comfort her, they let her continue. "I'm no exception..." A small grin played off her lips. "And they know that..."

"Mum and Dad?"

"Oh, everyone, now that I've explained it to you..." And with that, Dustin walked up the stairwell they had ended up in front of, leaving the two twins to a curious glance towards one another.

"You don't suppose she means...?" Lysander began.

"We have yet to have one in the family..." Kyle finished. One final, silenced glance, then a single phrase spoken in perfect sync.

"Nah..."

"My money's on Ravenclaw..."

"Bet Mum will be happy to hear that..."

"Forget Mum! I'm hoping for Olivia and Dustin's relationship's sake!" Kyle cried, then quickly silenced himself. He and his brother looked up the stairs, their blue orbs following the path that their younger sister took up moments before.

"You wouldn't mind...would you?"

"What?"

"If she were to be Sorted there...you wouldn't hold it against her?"

"Kyle...I could never..."

* * *

Suspecting Ravenclaw would have been appropriate had Dustin not felt the sudden urge to steal her brothers' cat, Dorothy. She loved that cat, possibly more than she loved her brothers, but when she really thought about it, that cat couldn't show her affection like her brothers could, and she knew she'd need them if this story was to go according to everyone's plan…

That wasn't going to stop her from taking the cat, however.

"Come, 'ere, Dorothy," Dustin hefted the cat in her arms to keep her from falling. The black and white cat-whose feet had been stained with red kool-aid at a very early age, earning her her name-meowed in a lame attempt to protest, but, being the lazy cat that she was, didn't fight back much more than that. Nor did she honestly have a problem with Dustin's constant excursions that involved her, she just felt obligated to show some sort of resistance for the twins sake; A.K.A. her owners.

Making her way down the hall, Dustin leisurely held the calm cat in whatever position it pleased. They had a strong, mutual bond, but, again, it's not gonna benefit the story in anyway…

Dustin took a hard left at her bedroom door, and turned the knob skillfully, all while holding the cat in her arms. Once successfully opened, the door was immediately shoved to the side and kicked once more, as soon as Dustin had made her entrance.

"Alright, kitty-cat…" She said, whipping out her eldest brother's wand that she had also "borrowed" turning to face the cat now strewn on her bed. "What do you say to a little transfiguration-?" Her sentence had barely had time to leave her mouth and reach the unsuspecting cat's ears when a loud noise erupted from the doorway. The wand the young brunette girl held in her hand went off in correlation to the sudden shock she had experienced, turning poor Dorothy's tail to straw.

"Dustin?" Olivia Cladis, a sixth year Gryffindor at Hogwarts who prided herself on said title, stormed into the room, glancing down at the cat on her younger sister's bed. She paused, clearly, whatever she had come to say in the first place held no importance of any kind. "Is that Dorothy?"

"No…" Dustin hid the wand behind her back quickly, trying her best not to smile and to keep the mischievous glint out of her eyes.

"Dustin Elle Cladis!" Olivia, who was a natural redhead, much like Kyle, tried to snatch the wand from her still-to-be-Sorted sister, but had very little luck in retrieving it. In the commotion, Dorothy, with tail still straw, leapt off the bed, and raced for the open door, seeing that as her only chance for escape without further damage. "You know underage wizards are forbidden from practicing magic outside of school!"

She clawed at the wand behind Dustin's back, but held no yield as her younger sister skillfully evaded her.

"Well, it's a good thing I don't go to school yet, isn't it?" Dustin replied, a firm smirk plastered to her lips.

"You…" Olivia gritted her teeth trying to keep her agitated shrieking to a minimum, that was, until Dustin got a little too clever for Olivia's liking. A quick, spastic bolt of light flew from the tip of the wand Dustin held tight in her hand, and went straight for Olivia. "YOU!"

"Uh oh…" Dustin dropped the wand, finding the best route to take out of her room. Her eyes flit from place to place, to her sister, then back to places. "I've unleashed the monster!" A thrilled laugh escaped Dustin's lips, while a growl emanated from her sisters.

"Monster…oh, I'll show you monster! Come 'ere!" Lunging for the young brunette was Olivia's second mistake in that last forty-three seconds…and counting. Her first: wondering what Dustin was up to in the first place.

"Troll in the dungeons! Troll in the dungeons!" Dustin shrieked as she raced out of the room and barreled down the stairs. It took a moment, but the words Dustin had just said registered in her mind as familiar somehow, and the thought of hearing them before caused Dustin to grind to a halting stop halfway down. "Boy does that sound familiar…"

"Dustin…?" The twins voice's derailed her train of thought. "What happened to Dorothy's tail…?"

"Uhh...I - "

"Dustin!"

"What'd you do?" The redheaded and brunette twins both raised an eyebrow, and continued to speak in sync, something Dustin quite enjoyed honestly.

"Long story…then again…this is the beginning of a book series so…"

"What are you on about - ?"

"Dustin!" Another voice, a young man's voice called from above the three.

"Yes, brother dear?" Dustin turned, glancing up - a huge smile gracing her pale features - to see her elder brother Max standing up at the top of the staircase, leaning over it to look skeptically at her.

"Have you seen my wand, sister dear?" His tone was jokingly formal. "I seem to have misplaced it."

"Oh, do check my room, Maxwell." By this time, Dustin had on her British accent. No, she didn't normally speak with one, but she did have one.

 _And a bloody excellent one at that!_ She thought pridefully. Continuing her and her brother's game, she took a moment to glance behind her and notice Olivia's small stealthy steps down the staircase. "I got a hot tip that the floor is the best place to find stolen, and by stolen, I do of course, mean borrowed wands." Dustin made her way down the stairs as her sister gained.

Max could only smirk down at his younger sisters as he straighten his back and headed for Dustin's room.

"Oh, and Maxwell!" Dustin called up one last time. "You didn't hear that from me…" She placed her hand below her chin, drawing it back and forth slowly as she shook her head.

"Of course not."

"Alright," Dustin waltzed hastily over to the twins, who were, at that time, holding their cat. "Well, If we're done here, I'll just…" Dustin took the cat in her arms. "Take that."

"Dustin! Put it back!" Olivia shouted from the bottom of the staircase. Dustin only smiled guiltily and scurried off.

"Oh, Olivia, please, it's fine." Lysander assured her. "Worse things could, and have, happened to that cat."

"We're surprised she's still alive!" Kyle continued.

"Not the cat, you idiot's!" Olivia screamed scrambling over to her younger twin brothers.

"Dustin has your wand, Ky."  
"Wh- wait. What?" Kyle raised his arms, glancing down at the wand sheath strapped loosely around his waist. Low and behold, his wand was missing.

"Dustin!" Was a collective shout all throughout the house.

Max had discovered his wand, but it had been severally damaged.

Olivia was still on Dustin's tail about being called a troll, and using magic outside of school.

Kyle and Lysander needed their cat, and Kyle's wand back;

And Dustin's parents had arrived home, calling for her promptly as they walked in.

Hearing their cries for their daughter reverberating through the house, Cody Cladis, Dustin's dad, stopped, glancing at all of his kids as he and his wife stood idle in the doorway.

"What'd she do this time?"

"Wand!" Was all Cody heard before a few, on cue explosions sounded from the basement.

"Dustin Elle!"

* * *

"So, remind me again why we're letting little miss 'Wreck-Everything-and-Run' go to Hogwarts again?"

"Olivia!" Dustin's parents didn't even have chance to intervene, as their twin sons had done so already. "Mind your tongue!" Kyle and Lysander wrapped their arms around the tiny Dustin, who stood still, afraid to provoke anyone. Or just too lazy to get away if she did end up provoking anyone.

"Poor little Dustin would never hurt a - yeah, I don't know where I was going with that." Kyle patted Dustin's head absently.

"Could you guys get off of me?" Dustin asked, glaring at her parents for help.

"Sorry, sweetie." Thalia, Dustin's mom, shrugged giving her a teasing smile as she titled her head to the side.

"No you're not." Dustin's eyes narrowed at her mother's still smiling face. Dustin's dad turned to his wife and gave her the same look. Thalia burst into fits of laughter.

"We promised the twins, that when you were born, they could help raise you and intervene as they saw fit."

"So that's why I'm so messed up." Dustin concluded, a fist connecting with her palm.

"Hey!" The twins cried defensively mirroring each other actions. Their hands went immediately for their hips, and their faces rested on Dustin.

"I'd like to think we've done a pretty successful job of raising you!" Lysander remarked.

"Quite!" Kyle completed

"Alright..." Dustin shoved past her family members and headed for the stairs.

"Where're ya goin', Dusty?" Dustin's father called from the doorway they were all standing at, impatiently waiting for the arrival of Dustin's acceptance letter to Hogwarts.

"My letter's not coming with today's mail, Dad." She stated as a matter of fact, as if it were a total no brainer.

"What are you on about?" He continued. "Of course it's comin'!" He tried to sound supportive. "It is your eleventh birthday!"

"Not until 11:59, Dad."

"What does she mean by that?" Max strolled up to his parents, concern starting to glaze his features. His concern soon seeped into the twins' expressions as they too, took a few steps closer.

"Maybe she know's something we don't?" Cody Cladis shrugged, a hopeful tone to his voice.

"That's all the time, Dad." Olivia huffed, her arms crossed as she stared in the direction of the staircase.

"Well, all there is to do, is wait, then."

"I swear, if she's right about this, we need to get her tested as a - " Thalia Cladis glanced down at her youngest son, Lando, who was tugging at her shirt for attention. " ' _P-S_ \- "

"Lando can spell, Mum..." Max reminded her bluntly. "We can _all_ spell."

The twins smiled deviously at each other.

"You know what kind of spell I meant." Max corrected them without even giving them so much as a glance. Their expressions dropped.

* * *

" _I told you_! I. _T_ _old_. _You_!"

"Congratulations, sister dear! _Now go to bed_!"

" _One more word, I will come in there and_ \- "

" _You will do nothing to hurt our baby_!"

" _She's not your baby_!"

" _Go to bed_! …How ironic."

* * *

 **Review and let us know what you think guys!**


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